


Hidden Stars and City Lights

by katelsker



Category: Adam (2009), Charlie Countryman (2013), Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom, Spacedogs - Fandom
Genre: Age Difference, Drinking, Drugs, Excessive Swearing, Fame, Groupies, M/M, Nigel has kids with multiple women because he’s a rockstar cliche, Nigel isn’t the best dad, No Smut, Post-Divorce, Rockstar AU, Sadly I just can’t write it, Secret Identity, Spacedogs, adam is adam, nigel is a rockstar, nigel is trying to be a better dad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:54:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28938837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katelsker/pseuds/katelsker
Summary: Nigel is an aging rockstar dealing with the aftermath of a messy divorce and the breakup of his band. He’s hiding out in his eldest daughter’s bookshop when he meets Adam. He’s beautiful, pure, and has absolutely no idea who Nigel is. Nigel’s choice to keep it that way could ruin everything in the end.Adam never lost his job. Therefore, he never left New York. Years after his failed relationship with Beth, he finds himself falling for the father of an acquaintance and giving love a chance for the first time in years. However, when Adam realizes that Nigel is hiding something from him, he wonders if their entire relationship has been nothing more than a beautiful lie.
Relationships: Nigel (Charlie Countryman)/Adam Raki
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	Hidden Stars and City Lights

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted a rockstar!Nigel au and couldn’t find one. So, I wrote this. Please, write some more rockstar spacedogs if you have time. Thank you :)

Out of all of Nigel’s children Keisha was the one who should have hated him the most. Yet, she was the only one who gave a damn.

“So, that’s how you do the register. Any questions?”

“No. I think I’ve got the gist of it.”

“Great!” his daughter clapped her hands together. “Thanks so much for agreeing to come and help with the shop. Ever since Calvin got a lecturer position at Colombia and Margaret quit, we’ve been struggling to keep it going. Calvin doesn’t want to sell it, but finding someone we can afford to pay has been—“

Nigel gave a weak smile.

He knew damn well that his eldest child was keeping the bookshop just to make him feel useful. Before Gabi had left him, Keisha had been dying to get rid of the money pit that was Galaxy Books.

“Well, you’re in luck because I’m dumb enough to work for free because—“

“You’re a fucking rockstar,” Keisha rolled her eyes and glanced at her phone. “My shift at the hospital starts in twenty and I gotta run. Dad, are you sure you’re gonna be alright starting today? We can always close up. Nobody really comes on Wednesdays—“

“What about that space kid? You said—“

“Right, shit. Adam,” Keisha began fiddling with one of her braids. “I was really hoping Calvin would be here to introduce you two and—“

“I can handle it.”

Keisha gave him a skeptical look.

At thirty, it was the same look she had given him at five when he’d insisted he knew how to make spaghetti just like her mother.

Nigel liked the consistency.

Eventually, Keisha sighed and pecked his cheek.

“Good luck dad, call me or Calvin if—“

“I’ll be fine.”

She smiled that little smile he had never deserved and then she was gone.

***

Every Wednesday for almost as long as Adam could remember, he had visited Galaxy Books.

It had started when he had been a child and had recognized the word “galaxy” on the sign.

He’d been disappointed about the lack of space theme when he’d entered the used bookstore, but the owners had been nice to him and his father.

The couple had also had a son who despite being a teenager, had taken the time to help Adam find books about space with enough pictures to keep an eight year old entertained.

So, a routine soon developed.

On Wednesdays, Adam visited Galaxy Books.

In the beginning, he went with his father and they always made sure to purchase one of the books from Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.

Later, when Adam was old enough, he went alone after school. By then, the Johnsons had started offering a limited selection of hot beverages and prepackaged cookies. Adam would purchase a hot chocolate from a college-aged Calvin and do his homework at one of the few tables in the corner of the store.

Now, things were different.

The Johnsons had both passed away and Calvin was a literature professor who was barely at the shop.

This had been okay, when Margeret had worked there, but then the old woman had retired to Florida and—

More often than not, Wednesdays meant he had to see Calvin’s wife, Keisha. She was nice, however she was too pretty. It made him nervous. Also, since she was a doctor and worked in a hospital, she often smelled of antiseptic.

Adam did not dislike Keisha, but he missed Margaret and her floral smell that reminded him of his mother. Still, Adam admitted that he preferred Keisha to the long list of failed employees they had hired in the year since Margaret’s resignation.

Adam looked down at the small bouquet of roses he’d picked up for Keisha.

Calvin had mentioned that Keisha thought Adam disliked her and—

Harlan had always said that you should give a woman flowers to apologize.

Taking a deep breath, Adam entered the store.

He marched to the checkout counter and thrust the bouquet at the person by the cash register, not bothering to look up.

“I like you and I’m sorry you thought I hated you. Here are some flowers. They are roses. I thought they were the safest choice but if you dislike them, I can bring you daisies tomorrow. Unless, you don’t like daisies then—“

A low chuckle caused Adam to look up.

Behind the counter was a tall older man. He had Keisha’s cheekbones, soft shaggy hair, and lips that made Adam want to—

Adam dropped the roses, clenched his fists, and began to rock.

Tears stung his eyes and he wanted to run but couldn’t make his legs move.

His breathing started getting faster and he desperately wanted to disappear.

“Shit, kid. Adam, right? I’m sorry I laughed. I just...I’m a fucking idiot. Just breathe.”

The older man maneuvered Adam to one of the armchairs near the children’s books section and knelt down before him.

“Okay, kid. Just breath. I...shit okay. Count backwards from one hundred or something,” the man said in accented English as he pulled a phone out of the pocket of his jeans and began to frantically push buttons. “I’m looking up how to stop a panic attack, but if you want an ambulance I could—“

Adam stopped listening to the man and focused on his faded shirt. The ridiculousness of the pattern grounded him.

“Dachshunds.”

The man stopped his rambling. “What?”

“On your shirt.”

”Yeah...”

“Harlan had a pet dachshund once. His name was Captain Sausage.”

“How original.”

“I thought it was a stupid name.”

“I agree.”

Adam met the older man’s eyes. They were shaped like Keisha’s but prettier.

“Your eyes are prettier than Keisha’s.”

“Well, you can’t beat the originals so—“

“Originals?”

“Keisha’s my daughter. Everyone says she has my eyes. Lucky lady isn’t she?” Nigel said with a flirtatious wink.

Adam frowned. “You can’t be Keisha’s father.”

“Why, because I’m the wrong color?”

The handsome man was glowering at him and it made Adam’s stomach hurt.

“No, I...I mean you’re too young. Keisha is around thirty and you’re—“

The man smirked. “I’m fifty as of last week.”

“Oh…”

“How old are you gorgeous?”

“My name is Adam.”

“I know. Keisha told me.”

“Oh.”

“My name is Nigel by the way.”

“Nigel…” Adam repeated committing the name to memory.

“So, how old are you, Adam?”

“Thirty-five.”

“Older than Keisha. Barely, but I'll take it.”

Adam blinked. “Why do you care that I’m older than Keisha?”

“Because, even a bastard like me has some lines he won’t cross.”

“I still don’t under—“

“Have you had dinner, gorgeous?”

“No.”

“Would you like to get dinner with me then? Keisha said I could close up whenever.”

Adam blushed. “I’m...I’m supposed to eat macaroni and cheese. That’s what I planned. I always—“

“Sounds delicious.”

“Really?”

“I’m up for anything as long as I’m with you.”

“What?”

Nigel chuckled. “Ignore that line. I’m out of practice.”

“Okay…”

“So dinner?”

Adam bit his lip and nodded.

Nigel’s smile was more beautiful than the brightest of stars.

Adam couldn’t help but smile back.


End file.
